Austrophaeogala Hsiao & Pollock 2022, GEN. NOV.

AUSTROPHAEOGALA GEN. NOV.

(FIGS 3D–I, 6, 7)

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: F95E43C8-9D2B-41BB-8FE9-5F1BF4302AC2.

Type species: Austrophaeogala lawrencei sp. nov., here designated.

Diagnosis: Body (Fig. 3D, E, F, G, H, I) large-sized (c. 5.5–8.0 mm), long oval to somewhat pear-shaped, surface sparsely covered with long, fine setae, setae not clustered. Head (Fig. 6A) subquadrate, frontoclypeal region distinctly depressed, frontal furrows (Fig. 6B) present but shallowly depressed; compound eyes small, ratio of eye diameter to interocular space c. 1:3.8–4.0, without impressed ocular grooves or carinae, interfacetal setae extremely short, not obvious; apical maxillary palpomere (Fig. 6C) elongate securiform; apical labial palpomere (Fig. 6D) oval, subtruncate apically; antennae (Fig. 6E) short, not extending to elytra, simple, filiform. Pronotum (Fig. 6F) transverse, distinctly wider than head, with sides arcuate, disc with shallow, paired depressions, lateral pronotal carinae (Fig. 6G) only visible basally; prosternum (Fig. 6H) with procoxal cavities closed externally, widely open internally. Elytra (Figs 3D, F, G, I, 6I) long oval, without apicoventral binding patches. Legs (Fig. 6J) with penultimate tarsomere expanded, not wider than length of distal tarsomere, claws simple, with basal swelling. Abdominal ventrite II of male (Fig. 6K) with sex patch.

Etymology: The genus name is composed of the Latin prefix Austro-, southern, derived from Australia and the root - phaeogala (from Greek φαιογαλά, buckwheat), from its related genus Phaeogala. Gender: feminine.

Distribution: Presumably endemic to Australia.